JCO injured in landmine blast in J&K's Rajouri

JAMMU: A Junior Commissioned Officer of the Indian Army was injured in a landmine explosion during a routine patrol exercise along the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K’s Rajouri district on Friday.“The blast occurred while an Army patrol was carrying out area domination and surveillance in the forward belt of Jhangar,” an official said.Fellow soldiers rushed the injured JCO, Naib Subedar Hiteshwar Gogoi of the 14 Assam Regiment, to a nearby Army medical facility for first aid. The officer was later referred to the Command Hospital, Udhampur, for advanced treatment, official sources said.Forward areas along the LoC are dotted with landmines as part of the anti-infiltration security grid. Rains sometimes wash away and displace these mines, resulting in such mishaps.On June 16, four Army personnel, including a JCO and three jawans, were injured in a similar accidental explosion caused by the sudden activation of a landmine during an area domination exercise along the LoC in Kalal area of Rajouri’s Nowshera sector.On June 12, two Army personnel from 12 Bihar Regiment were severely wounded in an accidental grenade blast during a training exercise near the LoC in J&K’s Poonch district. On June 10, two 8RR soldiers from Maharashtra died in yet another accidental grenade explosion near LoC in Kamalkote area of Uri, in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.